Leo Kraft

Leo Kraft (b. Brooklyn, New York, July 24, 1922) is an American composer, author, and educator.

Leo Kraft has an active career as composer, educator, writer on musical topics, and author. He holds degrees from Queens College CUNY and Princeton University. Karol Rathaus, Randall Thompson, and Nadia Boulanger were his mentors in composition.

While the larger part of his work is chamber music, he has also written orchestral, piano, vocal, band, and electronic music. His compositions have been performed and recorded in the USA and abroad. His Symphony in One Movement was performed by the American Composers Orchestra in Carnegie Hall in 1995.

At this time he is editorial advisor and writer for the New Music Connoisseur. Mr. Kraft is past President of the American Music Center and Professor Emeritus of the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College CUNY. He was also Distinguished-Composer-in-Residence at New York University (1989-1992). Mr. Kraft's music is published by Seesaw Music and Carl Fisher and recorded on the CRI, Capstone, Albany, and Centaur labels. Mr. Kraft is affiliated with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

Mr. Kraft's recent works include The Vision of Isaiah for chorus and orchestra, commissioned by Jo Ann Rice and Florilegium Chamber Choir, Jacob Wrestles With the Angel for orchestra, Melodies from the South for solo bassoon, written for Carrie Smelser, Piano Fantasy, commissioned by the Maldeb Foundation (Queens College) for the pianist Mimi Stern-Wolfe, The Five Winds for wind quintet, commissioned by the Dorian Quintet and Flute Variations for solo flute commissioned by Laurel Ann Maurer.